Picking Up The Pieces
by petiteshima
Summary: In the end, one by one, they always return home.
1. The Sound of Silence

**Hello! This is my first multi-chapter Fairy Tail fanfic and I've had the story in my head for a while now so I thought it was about time to make a start on it! It won't be too long; less than 10 chapters is the plan! :)  
**  
**Enjoy! :)**

**_Disclaimer - I don't own Fairy Tail; the credit all goes to Hiro Mashima!_  
**

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"Do you think they'll come?"

The question arose on the morning of the seventh day of the seventh month, as the white-haired barmaid cleaned the already spotless drink glasses. Her voice resonated throughout the unusually quiet and empty hall of the guild that was known as Fairy Tail.

Leaning against the counter that the barmaid stood behind was a man with a shock of blond hair and a scar that ran through his right eye. He grunted, not turning towards the woman, "Of course they'll come, it's been five years after all."

"Laxus, you said that last yea-."

"I know Mira," was all Laxus said, letting out a sigh, "I know."

It was the year x801, and Fairy Tail was no longer the prominent guild that it had been previously hailed as. The guild building had temporarily moved back to the center of the city for four years, after they'd saved up the money to relocate, but after _that_ had happened they'd found themselves back on the outskirts of the city. In a way, it was almost as if the guild had gone back to its almost dormant like state that it was stuck in for seven years back in the day; but now, it was worst. Back then they _knew_ that they're missing nakama would come back, alive and smiling as if they'd never left.

But now, they knew that some were _never _coming back.

Mirajane Strauss held the glass she had been cleaning up before her, a soft smile appearing on her face as she marveled her 'handy work'; well, it had been the third time she'd cleaned the glass so it was bound to be crystal clean by now.

Suddenly one of the wooden double doors of the guild was thrown open, and in came Cana Alberona, both arms laden with a grocery bag each as she used her foot to close the door behind her.

"Welcome back Cana," Mirajane greeted the card mage with a smile as she walked out from behind the bar to take a bag from her. Cana set the remaining brown paper bag onto the counter before hopping onto the nearest stool.

"You sure took your time."

The brunette's head turned towards the man sharply, "The city is _very_ busy today."

"You say that _every _week."

"Maybe you'd know how busy it was if _you _did the shopping."

"I have a guild to run."

"You call this a guild?" Cana's words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, "Well I'm sorry _Master _but I don't believe a guild with less than a dozen people takes much effort to keep in order."

Silence.

Mirajane appeared to be reading the canned pears' label, almost with _too_ much concentration. Laxus' lips were pressed into a thin line as he stared intently at the brunette, whose own gaze was fixed firmly on the wooden bar top. Finally, Laxus pushed himself away from the counter, kicking an old bar stool out of his way as he stormed away without another word to either the two women.

A few moments later, as the sound of someone slamming a door echoed throughout the empty guild, Cana groaned, her head falling into her hands as Mirajane walked around from her side of the bar to join her; the shopping lay forgotten for the moment.

"Why can't I keep my mouth shut?" Cana muttered, raking her hands through her short hair. It was just below her chin now, still with a slight wave to it; she'd cut it after the _incident_ happened and it had been this length ever since.

"He'll be fine," Mirajane patted her friend's arm, "You know what he is like the most."

A smile tugged at the corner of Cana's lips, "I suppose I do," She sighed, the sombre look replacing the soft one once again, "but I'll stay out of his way for the rest of today."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Mirajane said but Cana had hopped down from the stool and was walking towards the exit.

"I'll be back later." And then she was gone.

The barmaid shook her head slightly before glancing around at the vacant guild; the sight always tugged at her heart, a reminder of events that they all wished had never occurred. With a heavy sigh, Mira turned her attention back to the groceries; after all they weren't going to sort themselves out.

When the former S-Class Mage had nearly stored the various foods away, a voice caught her attention, "Did Cana leave?"

Mirajane looked up from the bag of fruit she held to see Laxus standing across from her; the previous stern expression had left his face, "Yes, she left just over ten minutes or so ago," Mira hesitated before adding, "I think she's gone_ there _again."

Laxus's reaction to her words was ever so slight; his eyes widening a fraction, the stiffening of his shoulders coupled with the clenching of his hands.

"Of course," He muttered before heading towards the door. And then he too was gone, leaving Mirajane utterly alone.

Cana hadn't told Mirajane where she had been heading for, but she was almost certain of the card mage's destination; after all, they all returned to the Ruins in the end.

Well, those of whom were left, that is.

Just as Mirajane stored the last grocery away, the sound of two voices reached her ears from just outside the entrance; and Mira knew those voices well.

"Good morning Lucy, Happy."

Sure enough the blond Celestial mage had entered the guild along with the blue exceed at her side as usual, well usual for the past five years. In return to Mira's greeting, Lucy smiled and waved. In truth the young woman hadn't changed over the past years; it was comforting to see that not everything had changed so drastically, appearance wise that is.

"Morning Mira," Lucy said, seating herself at her usual place by the bar, "Are we early? It's just that we happened to pass Laxus through the city," Hardly anyone called Laxus 'Master', and the lightening mage didn't seem to mind at all, "Didn't we Happy?"

"Aye!" Happy replied from his seat beside Lucy, "He looked like he was in a hurry; is it because the fish market is closing at noon?"

Mira politely ignored Happy's 'fish' comment and said, "He's looking for Cana. They had an argument, if you could even call it that, earlier and I can guess Laxus is seeking to sort things out between them."

"They _likeeeeee_ each other," Happy trilled, seemingly quite pleased by his observation as Lucy just nodded. It wasn't a secret amongst them all about what was going on between Cana and Laxus; it was bound to happen eventually and besides, they all needed something to be happy about amongst the 'doom and gloom'.

As the conversation died, they fell into a comfortable silence. Mirajane silently served the pair their typical beverages, a simple glass of lemonade for Lucy and a mug of warm milk for Happy. Whilst she drank, Lucy fiddled absentmindedly with the white scarf draped around her neck; she was rarely seen without it nowadays.

Mirajane had resumed washing the already clean glasses whilst Happy was drinking his milk contently. When she was sure that neither was looking at her, Lucy turned her head to sniff the white material, which was surprisingly soft despite its rare material. A smile tugged at her lips as she breathed in the scent that refused to go away. As well as how the scarf always seemed to radiate heat, it was almost as if _he _was still protecting her, as always.

"Good morning everyone!"

Lucy jumped slightly, forgetting for a moment that she was not alone, as swivelled on her chair to see Levy and Gajeel enter the guild, with Pantherlily tagging along at Gajeel's side.

The trio at the bar returned Levy's greeting; a wave from Happy, a smile from Lucy and Mirajane's customary greeting that all guild members were welcomed to each morning.

"Huh," Gajeel looked around the considerably empty hall, "We're either early or they're not coming, _again_."

"You're early," Lucy retorted, her tone quite harsh as the Iron Dragon Slayer shrugged before taking a seat at the bar next to his petite companion.

"Of course we're early," Levy backed up her friend, "Actually we would have been earlier if _someone_ hadn't eaten our alarm clock last night."

"_That_ was an accident," Gajeel muttered under Levy's glare, "And I did apologise for it; quit bringing it up."

She reached out and patted his metallic right arm, "I know." Lucy saw the Solid Script Mage's gaze linger on the shiny, solid material that was now Gajeel's arm; her hazel eyes ridden with guilt as she forced herself to look away.

_Blood. The scarlet colour was almost too bright for her eyes, but she couldn't look away; the blood was everywhere. Shrill screams came from all around,, the cries of pain were familiar to her; every shout was another stab to her heart. She couldn't move, fear had rooted her to the spot amongst the rubble of the building. _

_Her home, **their** home. _

"_Lucy, move!" _

"Well, you could've got an alarm clock that _wasn't_made of metal."

"Gajeel!"

The moment had passed, with Lucy only seeming to notice. And now, she couldn't stop the memories from flooding into her head. Of the day that everything had gone so terribly wrong; the day that Fairy Tail fell from grace.

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**And that's the first chapter; hope you enjoyed reading! Drop a review and let me know what you think! :)**

**I apologise if any of the characters appear OOC, but if they do then it's intended :) I'll try and pump the next chapter out within the next week or so; bear with me, school is wrapping up soon so I'll have more time! ^^**

**~petiteshima**


	2. The Wait

**Hello again! I'd have gotten this chapter out quicker if it weren't for my laptop derping and the battery dying! But here it is! **

**I apologise in advance for any OOC-ness of the characters but it's intentional considering the situation :)**

**Enjoy reading!**

**_Disclaimer - I don't own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters; I only own this story's plot ^^_**

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At noon the waiting began.

The majority of the guild was there, all eleven minus three; that left eight. Laxus sat closest to the wooden double doors with Cana at his side, together at a table of their own. A glass of water was clutched in Cana's hands, to calm her nerves, as she took a sip of the clear fluid every moment or so. Once the best drinker of Fairy Tail, she had gone five years without a drop of alcohol and showed no signs of missing the intoxicated liquid. Despite her anxiety, Cana wasn't going to waste all her effort and take a glass of rum to help her relax, because once she'd have a glass it would turn into a mug which would eventually increase to a barrel of alcohol, just like the old days.

At the table two rows behind sat Gajeel with Levy at his side, Pantherlily sat on Levy's lap. A book lay at to the right of the elfin mage, forgotten as she stroked Lily's head, earning a purr of contentment from the Exceed. Gajeel was much less at ease than his feline friend, the Iron Dragon Slayer hated to stay in one place for such a long time; this day, every year, pushed him to the limit. His booted foot tapped the ground in an impatient rhythm as he clenched and unclenched his metallic hand, his red eyes shifted around the room restlessly.

Sensing his agitation, Levy placed a hand on Gajeel's forearm. His fidgeting stopped at once, his gaze focused on her small, white hand against the cool surface of his fake limb; how was it possible that he could _feel_ her touch? He moved his hand then to clasp her own in his, evoking a small smile on the Solid Script Mage's face as she continued to pat Lily's head.

And the furthest from the entrance was Lucy, sitting at a table alone with her head resting on her arms. The ends of the scarf around her neck cushioned her head as she trained her brown eyes on the door, willing for it to open and to see the faces that presently only existed in her memory. Automatically her hand moved to the scarf that enveloped her neck.

"_This is my promise."_

The words resonated in her mind, as clear as they were when he'd spoken them in the first place. Would a day come when they faded from her thoughts, his voice no longer apparent? No, she couldn't think like that, her hope was all that she had right now, all that they _all_ had.

Lucy turned her head away from the door, her head remaining on her folded arms as her attention was directed towards the bar. Mirajane stood behind the wooden counter as usual, busying herself with minor tasks that, realistically, didn't need to be done. Right now she was fixed on cleaning the glasses that they had been drinking from earlier.

From her seat, Lucy could plainly see the scar that marred the barmaid's face; a silver ridged mark that ran from her temple, the whole way down her left cheek, to her chin. Due to it Mirajane had lost all offers to appear in Sorcerer's Weekly for modelling shoots; she was damaged goods. But to Lucy, and the rest of the guild, Mirajane was as beautiful as ever; and they made sure she knew it.

But the sight of the scar, on this particular day, caused Lucy's stomach to tighten and her heart to drop. It triggered memories, images that plagued her dreams and tainted her thoughts.

* * *

"Lucy, move!"

The blonde's legs moved forward automatically as the voice had instructed. Whilst she stumbled amongst the rubble, her head whipped around to look for the source of the voice; but he had gone. It was if his voice had awakened her senses. Her ears pounded with screams that hadn't sounded so real moments ago as her nose filled with the smell of burning and, worst of all, death. Smoke had filled the atmosphere from the explosion, but it wasn't heavy enough to weaken her sight; but she wished it was. For then, she could not see the destruction that was occurring before her eyes as lives were ripped apart along with the building that was their home.

How long had she been standing static, paralyzed with fear and disbelief? How could so much devastation transpire in such a short amount of time; they were Fairy Tail, nothing was supposed to pull them apart?

Lucy stumbled through the rubble, cries of battle and pain filled the air, as she looked desperately for a familiar face. After dodging a flying object, she refused to consider the idea of it being a person, Lucy caught sight of Levy around twenty meters in front of her. The mage was fighting with her Solid Script magic, calling forth the elements left, right and centre as her opponent skilfully dodged the tiring fairy.

Lucy's eyes widened as she took in Levy's opponent. He was outrageously tall, his height only further emphasised by Levy's short stature. As her opponent dodged Levy's fire attack, Lucy caught a glimpse of his face. He had bright yellow eyes with irises like a cat's and shaggy black hair that was streaked with grey. His humanity was further countered by the protruded canines in his mouth, which was pulled into a hungry smirk. A mark on the man's bare bicep caught Lucy's attention, a tattoo of sorts, but before she could examine it he was on the move again. As Levy was about to fire another attack, the man moved with impeccable speed, even quicker than Jet, and in the blink of an eye he was holding Levy by her throat in the air, choking her and licking his lips as she struggled to breathe.

Lucy's mouth opened to cry out, her hands reaching for her keys, but her actions were unnecessary as a pillar of iron suddenly appeared, smacking into the enemy's abdomen. In his surprise, the animalistic man released Levy from his clutches as she plummeted to the ground, only to be caught in the safety of her saviour's arms; Gajeel.

The young woman gasped for air as Gajeel stood in front of her protectively, a murderous look on his face as the cause of Levy's now bruised throat recovered from Gajeel's attack. Without any hesitation, Gajeel's right arm moulded into the pillar of iron once again, jutting out as an extension of his arm as he aimed it at his opponent once again.

But the foe was not one to be fooled twice.

When Gajeel's attack was mere centimetres from his chest, the yellow eyed man reached out and grasped the iron extension with his hands, which Lucy saw were just as large as himself with claws topping each finger. And then, as quick as he had apprehended Levy, he wrenched Gajeel's extended arm forward, catching Gajeel by surprise, and bit down into the iron that was close to Gajeel's shoulder.

The Iron Dragon Slayer's roar of pain overshadowed any other sound at that moment. The remaining stump of his iron pillar retracted to his normal arm, or what was left of it. From above his elbow and down, Gajeel had no arm. Instead, their was a short stump, blood had already began to pour fluidly from the gaping wound as the former Phantom Lord member fell to the ground in agony. He looked like he was going to pass out, if it weren't for Levy standing motionless behind his collapsed form; if Levy was still in danger, Gajeel would keep fighting.

But Lucy could see it was impossible; if he didn't get help now he would die from blood loss. If he continued fighting he would die at the hand of the man who had removed his arm in such a grotesque manner. The Celestial Mage's focus shifted to Gajeel's attacker, realising the tables had drastically turned as she took in the sight of him with Gajeel's arm, not iron but flesh, clenched in his fangs. The blood dripped down his chin as, with a flick of his head, he tossed the arm sideways; directly at Lucy.

A terrified scream left Lucy's mouth as she recoiled from the limb of her nakama, her automatic step back causing her to trip over a piece of debris as she fell backwards. The man had been advancing on a considerably pale Gajeel who was desperately trying to stand up in order to protect Levy, whose eyes were trained on the gaping wound on his shoulder, but Lucy's scream had caught his attention. His head turned sharply in her direction as his feline eyes met her petrified brown eyes; Lucy's heartbeat picked up drastically as an eager smile appeared on his face. The man began to advance towards her, his earlier prey forgotten, as Lucy scrambled backwards, using her feet and arms to carry her away from the man. However, she knew herself that she was as good as gone at the hands of a man who had rendered one of the guild's Dragon Slayers to their knees with one fatal move; what chance did she have against this creature?

But she had to try; after all she was a member of Fairy Tail. Lucy's right hand moved to her hips where her set of keys were fixed to her belt. The shaggy haired opponent was close to her now, a handful of meters separated them as Lucy fumbled desperately for her keys; she knew how quick her opponent could move and his slow pace right now showed he was merely toying with her.

She raised her right hand before her, Leo's key clutched tightly in it as she pointed the golden key at the enemy. Her hand was shaking furiously, forcing her to clasp her left hand around one of her most powerful keys to stop it from falling from her grasp. Yet, the foe did not seem to take notice of preparation to attack. Instead, when he was a meter away from her, he reached out towards her painfully slowly, his wicked grin still in place as he licked his lips once again, "Night, night fairy."

"O-open the gate of-," She began, her stammer betraying her efforts to appear collected, but she never finished her sentence as a howl of pure rage filled the air, getting closer and closer in the space of those few seconds before Lucy was suddenly whisked off the ground by the source of the anger. She knew who it was immediately as his arms carried her away from the immediate threat of the wolf-like, so she had concluded, man. His arms were a safe sanctuary as he ran with her over the rubble that was their home, the place he had brought her to after they had first met.

How different he looked now, from the mere boy she had encountered in Hargeon twelve years ago, well five for those who were trapped for seven years at Tenrou Island, to the young man he was now. He stopped running beside a remaining part of the guild building that was still standing; it provided a temporary shield that protected them from the horror that was unfolding around them. He set her down onto her feet then turned away from her, his hands balled into fists at his sides as he spoke to her.

"Run Lucy."

"W-what?" Her mind was a blur with all that was occurring; the guild was under attack, she'd just seen her friends attacked and had nearly been in a similar situation herself just moments before. And here he was telling her, _ordering_ her to run away from it all; a coward's action.

"Run away Lucy," He still did not face her as she listened to him again, not quite believing his words. This demand was so uncharacteristic of him, where had his fiery fighting spirit gone?

"Why would you say that," She whispered, knowing he would hear her despite the surrounding noise, "when our friends are out there fighting and _suffering._"

"Lucy-."

"I can't just abandon them," Lucy rushed on, her voice rising with each word, "What would that make me? I would not be worthy of belonging to this guild if I left it in a time of need and-."

"_Shut up!" _He cut her off in a tone he had never used with her before; one filled with anger, desperation and the slightest hint of defeat.

"Natsu..."

Natsu turned around to face the blond; his usual bright, green eyes were tainted with pain at what he had also witnessed. "These guys are ruthless," Natsu hesitated before continuing, "They tore Happy's wings from his back with their bare hands.," At his words, Natsu's face contorted in anger before the rage was replaced by unease, "Just _please, _save yourself," His voice shook ever so slightly with his fists as the anxiety dripped into his words, "It's all I ask of you."

At any other time Lucy would have been astounded by the Salamander's sudden maturity, but right now all that she could think about was making the right choice; by staying where she belonged.

Lucy looked at her feet, averting his eyes. "I can't..." She murmured, hesitating before continuing on when she gained no reply, "It's too late to turn away...I couldn't live with myself if I walked away now, knowing I could at least have done _something _to help..." She looked back up at Natsu, her eyes pleading her case as his inner struggle was evident on his face and his own eyes.

"Luce," His voice was considerably softer as he spoke the name he alone called her, "back there you were terrified."

"I wasn't prepared, that's all; everything has happened so fast—"

"How do you expect me to let you go back out there after seeing you like that?" Lucy watched as Natsu made an effort to keep voice level, his gaze never leaving hers as the light from the fires burning across the site of the guild cast shadows across parts of their faces whilst illuminating others. He didn't want her to get hurt, understandable since they were nakama. But in his eyes there was a speckle of something that told Lucy that this wasn't just about them being nakama, there was more to it.

But right now, she wasn't going to hang around to find out.

"Like this," She replied, before spinning around and running flat out from the Dragon Slayer, not daring to look back even when she heard his exclamation of her name over and over again. Despite stumbling and tripping over wreckage with nearly every step, Lucy continued on through what had essentially become a battlefield. Her own guild was now a war zone. The Celestial Mage paused on top of a heap of wood, taking in her surroundings; and regretting it almost immediately with what she saw.

* * *

"We're home!"

The sudden greeting that resonated throughout the hall snapped Lucy from her thoughts, which she wasn't entirely ungrateful off. She joined with everyone in turning expectantly towards the opening doors, a rush of excitement that she hadn't felt in years coursed through her body; was this the moment they had all dreamed of?

The anticipation faded as quickly as it had come when those responsible for the greeting entered the hall; it was only Romeo, Wendy and Carla returning from a mission.

"Welcome back Romeo, Wendy and Carla," Mirajane greeted the trio, not showing an ounce of disappointment behind her smile, "I assume your mission went well?"

"Of course it did, "The twenty-three year old male replied, a smirk on his face whilst the young woman beside him nodded politely, replying with less arrogance, "Yes it did, thank you for asking Mira-san."

It was a rare occasion when anyone went on a mission. Over the years the mission requests had declined extremely. Now they were lucky if they got a request a month let alone a week; but they managed. Each of them took turns to go on missions, never alone, whilst the rest had part time jobs to help keep the guild running. Wendy, Lucy and Cana were waitresses at a reasonably popular restaurant in the city. Mirajane sang a few nights at various bars throughout the city whilst Levy had a job at the library. Gajeel and Laxus were employed in mainly manual labour, particularly construction sites whenever they had jobs going. Finally, Romeo worked at a local blacksmith and the trio of Exceeds usually loitered about the guild, doing errands here and there.

As Mira offered the returning group refreshments, the remaining seven of the guild returned to staring at the door, each silently willing for its hinges to move and for an old familiar face to appear from the other side.

Happy shuffled from his spot at the bar and walked over to Lucy, who had begun to nervously play with the ends of the scarf.

"Lucy...maybe it's not this year," The blue Exceed said to his blond companion in a hushed tone.

"You don't know that," was all Happy got in reply. He sighed, plopping himself down beside Lucy to join the wait.

The abrupt yet familiar sound of church bells in the distance reached the ears of those in the guild, informing them that it was now noon. Had it really only been a mere half hour since they'd sat down to wait? The seconds had felt like minutes, and the minutes had seemed like hours.

"Plenty of time," Lucy heard Laxus mumble, almost to himself in reassurance. Cana reached over and squeezed Laxus's hand, her empty glass set on the table behind her, as she silently comforted the guild master.

And then she heard it; the sound of footsteps and voices.

"You hear that?" Gajeel asked Wendy, who nodded silently in agreement as she took a tentative step towards the shut doors.

"Someone's coming," Wendy confirmed as Mira walked out from the bar to join her fellow nakama, "No, not someone...some people."

Lucy rose from her seat, a name caught in her throat as her heart hammered against her chest; it couldn't be...could it? Had he finally returned?

"It could just be the local kids messing around with us again," Laxus warned, although he didn't seem so sure.

"No," Gajeel retorted, sniffing the air, "They don't smell like those brats...their smell is familiar."

As he spoke, one of the guild doors creaked open as everyone gathered together in the hall's centre. The tension that hung in the air was almost tangible as they waited with baited breath to see who their visitors were.

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**And there you go! I like to end on cliffhangers, this chapter being an example of that :3 **

**So, who do you think has returned? I'd like to hear your thoughts or theories! ^^**

**Please drop a review and let me know how you find the story so far; you'll brighten my day with a simple review!**

** I'll hopefully start the next chapter tomorrow ^^ Thank you for reading!**

**~petiteshima**


	3. The Light at the End of the Tunnel

**Hello! I'm so _so_ sorry I didn't get this chapter out earlier! I hope to not make you all wait like that again ^^;**

**Well, here is Chapter 3! Enjoy!**

**_Disclaimer - I don't own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters; I only own this story's plot and any OCs. ^^_**

* * *

As the door opened, there was not a sound in the hall as its occupants waited with anticipation to see who their visitors were. Lucy's knuckles were white as she squeezed the scarf of similar colour in her hands, her eyes unblinking as she joined her comrades in waiting for their guests to be revealed; why did the mere seconds of waiting feel like hours? Had they not done their waiting, five years of it? It was cruel to extend their wait any longer.

And then the door was fully opened; their visitors' identities revealed.

The sight of the woman standing at the front of the group was one of familiarity to all of the guild members. It was Erza Scarlet, once known as Titania to her enemies, Queen of the Fairies. Her defining crimson hair fell freely down her back, its length and style unchanged in her absence. However, Erza's usual armour attire was absent; instead she wore the casual garments that Lucy remembered seeing Erza wear from time to time years ago,

To Erza's right side was a man carrying a young child on his back. The man's hair was as dark as his onyx eyes as he held on to the little girl he carried; it was Gray Fullbuster. The Ice Mage had grown taller over the past five years, but apart from that he didn't look a great deal different; he had aged well. The youngster he carried was peeking over his shoulder, her oceanic blue eyes wide with innocent curiosity; she couldn't be more than six years old. The girl's hair was black in colour and fell to her shoulders in soft waves, with the exception of her straight bangs.

And standing behind them was a trio of hooded figures. Their faces were concealed by the low hoods, creating a mysterious aura surrounding them. One of the hooded visitors carried another on their back, almost a parallel to Gray's stance with the little girl.

Everything was still as nobody dared to break the silence that captured the moment. None of those facing the arrivals dared to move, some were even afraid to blink; afraid that if they did, the sight before them would disappear. But this was no illusion, a trick of the eye; this was reality.

Then, without hesitation, Mirajane stepped forward towards the visitors. She cocked her head to the side slightly, as smile appearing on her tear-streaked face as she said, "Welcome home." Such simple words so softly spoken, yet the effect it had was potent. Erza smiled, not a guarded smile that she had always worn before, but one that was open, inviting, "We're back."

And then, Mirajane ran forward, colliding with her old friend as she enveloped Erza in her arms. As the two old friends were reunited, Lucy's attention was diverted to the three mysterious figures standing the furthest away from the scene, as though they didn't belong in such a reunion. With a glance to her left, Lucy could see that Laxus, Gajeel and Wendy too were directing their attention to the cloaked trio. Everyone else seemed to be focused on the return of Erza and Gray, not noticing the other guests in their elation.

Before anyone could openly question their presence, the one who was carrying another spoke.

"Meredy, we're here. You can get off me now," His voice was distinctly male as he grunted to his companion on his back.

"I'm still tired Jellalllll," The figure on his back, which was surely female due to her voice, whined in reply, tightening her grip around the man's neck.

"You're c-choking me M-Meredy!"

"No I'm not!" Lucy watched as the male stranger shifted on his feet in an attempt to throw off his fellow traveller, and inadvertently, as the shrouded female tightened her grip, caused his hood to fall from his face, revealing his identity.

A small gasp left Lucy's mouth as one of the trio's identities was revealed; it was Jellal Fernandes. It wasn't just her surprise at seeing _him_ that caused Lucy's reaction, but also because of how _well_ he looked; wasn't he not thirty-six years old? Yet, the blue-haired man didn't look any older than he had when she'd first seen him at the Tower of Heaven. Now, it wasn't too hard to work out who the remaining two guests were; none other than Meredy and Ultear, the remaining two members of Crime Sorcière.

At that precise moment, Meredy pulled back her hood, a smile on her face as she laughed light-heartedly at Jellal's expression, still refusing to get off his back. Ultear had removed her hood from her face too, a soft smile on her remarkably young face as Jellal let out a sigh of frustration, seemingly giving up on trying to forcefully remove Meredy off his back.

"Lucy…"

The Celestial Mage was drawn away from her observation of the trio, realising that her fellow guild members had already moved on to welcome Erza back, by the voice of her old teammate Gray Fullbuster.

He stood a few feet before her, slightly apart from the rest of the guild, as he offered her a familiar smile; Gray really hadn't changed either. But there was something in his smile, something that was missing. Could it be that after five years he was still grieving? _'Stupid question_' Lucy thought to herself; of course he was still mourning his loss.

She doubted he would ever get over _that_ death.

In all honestly, Lucy had no idea what to say in this reunion with the Ice Mage. How are you? No, that seemed too casual after not seeing one another for five years. Her mouth was slightly open, as if she were to say something; but Lucy had nothing to say yet. Gray didn't pursue to begin the conversation; perhaps he understood that she was struggling to find something to say. And then, she was distracted from her thoughts by sudden movement in Gray's arms; the little girl was waving at her.

Almost shyly, Lucy returned the wave, leaning forward, her hands on her knees, as she looked at the child Gray had previously been carrying on his back. Lucy looked up to Gray, who was watching the interaction with the same smile, and asked, "Is this…?"

Gray nodded, "Yes, this is Alba."

At the sound of her name, the raven haired girl, Alba, looked up at Gray and pointed at Lucy, "Auntie Lucy?"

As Gray nodded once again, 'Auntie Lucy' felt her eyes prickle with the tears that were forming. "She's grown so much," She whispered, her voice slightly horse, "She looks so much like J-."

"I know," Gray simply said, looking down at Alba who was still staring at Lucy, fascination clear in her blue eyes.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"Are you sure?" Lucy said, slightly taken aback by the sudden request.

"Of course," The Ice Mage said, shifting on his feet as he began to hold Alba out towards her, "She's been waiting to see you."

In matter of moments, Lucy was holding Alba in her arms, somewhat surprised by the difference in stature of the little girl now to the baby she had been the last time Lucy had held her like this. "Hello, I'm your Auntie Lucy," She said to Alba, glancing at Gray who was watching on, "Do you remember me?"

Alba pouted for a moment, shaking her head before replying, "Daddy says I don't remember you because I was a baby. But he showed me pictures of you and his other friends," The blue eyed child reached up and tugged Lucy's blond hair gently, "You're pretty."

Lucy couldn't help but blush at the young girl's comment, "Thank you," She then mimicked Alba, pulling her dark hair gently and saying, "You're pretty too."

"Allie," Gray had moved closer to Alba, copying Lucy's previous stance of leaning towards her, "Will you stay with your Aunt Lucy while I go over to see everyone else?"

"Yes Daddy!"

"Good girl," He said, holding out a clenched fist which Alba bumped with her own tiny fist, leaning away from Lucy to do so. Gray straightened up and said to Lucy, "Do you mind looking after her for a while?"

She shook her head, "Of course not," Lucy then, holding Alba with one hand, gave Gray a small shove in the direction of everyone else, "What are you waiting for? Go say hello to everyone."

"Thank you," Gray replied, glancing once more at Alba, before walking away. Lucy watched as Cana spotted Gray, her eyes streaming tears as she threw herself at her oldest friend, causing him to stagger by the force of her hug.

The Celestial Mage's attention was directed back the little girl in her arms; Gray's daughter. Alba was staring at Lucy's hair, a few locks of it grasped between her tiny hands as she began to plait it. Little Alba Fullbuster…she'd grown so much. The last time Lucy had held her she had only been a year old. The last time Lucy had held Alba had been the worst day of her life, _all_ of their lives.

* * *

As she stood on the pile of wood that most likely been objects of the guild's furniture, Lucy suddenly wished she had stayed with Natsu where she knew she would be safe. But if she had stayed, wouldn't he have sent her away? However, looking out at the chaos unfolding before her eyes, Lucy understood what had rattled Natsu _so_ much that the Salamander had become fearful of his nakama's life; he had witnessed the deaths of others already.

A scream rose in Lucy's throat as a mere few feet away from her lay the body of Gildarts Clive, Fairy Tail's Strongest Mage. "Impossible," She whispered, stumbling forward robotically to Gildarts, falling to her knees beside his eerily still form. She reached out and pressed the tips of her fingers on his chest; there was no heartbeat. Her hand retracted from his chest as though she had been electrocuted, scrambling backwards as she refused to examine Cana's father further, to seek the cause of his death.

Could it be that Natsu had witnessed the death of this man? The man who had almost been like a father to him? How must it feel to lose your father twice; first Igneel and now Gildarts?

Suddenly becoming aware once again of the battles occurring around her, Lucy gathered herself to her feet, running anywhere as long as she was away from where she had been moments before. A stone pillar, coloured green, red and grey, lay in her path; she remembered it was one of a pair that stood on either side of the guild's main doors. Lucy pulled herself on top of the pillar, a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek as the heat and trauma of the current circumstances began to take its toll.

Her right hand darted to her keychain as from her place on the pillar, she noticed the landscape was littered with a mixture of the enemy and her allies; what worried her was that there was _more_ of the enemy. Her brown eyes narrowed in on a pair of the foes; two men who were kicking at something on the ground. Their appearances were just as sinister as the wolf-man's had been, albeit not animalistic. However, Lucy did not care for how these men looked; she was more concerned about the tattoo that marked their arms. It was horrifyingly familiar…and she had seen it on the wolf-man's arm too….

Then it dawned on her, what the tattoo represented. Her hands shook at the thought that _they_ had decided to attack the guild. Lucy had never encountered them before, but she had most definitely heard of them. For the tattoo was not just any tattoo; it was a guild mark, one that was designed to be _feared_.

"Tartaros," She breathed, her voice quaking at the mention of the guild that specialised in torment and sought to cause suffering, living up to their guild's name. She had heard it mentioned before, sometimes by Natsu who wished to disband the guild as the guild had done so for the other two guilds of the Balam Alliance.

Was this their revenge? Had their rage at Fairy Tail grown over time; the catalyst being the defeat of Oracion Seis?

Whilst Lucy had been desperately trying to put together the pieces that led to what was occurring around her, she did not notice the two Tartaros guild members become tired of their prey lying helplessly on the ground. She did not notice when one member, whose strength was obviously his assist, picked up the shaking figure in one arm. It was only when he tossed the form with incredible force that Lucy noticed; because it was heading straight towards her.

Lucy did not even have time to scream before it hit her.

* * *

**Cliffhanger again! I think this confirms that I do love ending on cliffhangers, right? **

**Well, the truth is this chapter is supposed to be _way way_ longer. But I thought this would be a good place to end it and I'll just write what was supposed to be in this chapter in the next one. **

**So, what do you guys think? Did you guess right about who returned? **

**Are you wondering why Crime Sorcière are at there too? **

**And what about little Alba? She's Gray's daughter but who is the mother?**

**Please remember to drop a review after reading; I'd love to know what you think! **

**Until next time; bye + thank you for reading!**

**p.s Lulu, if you're reading this then this chapter is dedicated to you! Happy Birthday for tomorrow! ^^**


	4. The Flower that Wilts in the Rain

**Hello! So here's Chapter Four! I won't blabber too much; enjoy the chapter! :D Once again I apologise for any OC-ness of any of the characters but it has been done purposely due to the situation e.t.c.**

_**Disclaimer - I don't own Fairy Tail or any of it's characters; I only own this story's plot and any OCs. ^^**_

* * *

The scream rose in her throat, but it never escaped her mouth as the flying figure collided with Lucy, sending her tumbling to the ground on the other side of the pillar. She lay there for a moment, out of shock as she tried to control her rapid breathing. The body lay on of her, weighing Lucy down as she tried desperately to shift its weight of her. The blonde felt something drip onto her face from the form, and as it rolled down Lucy's cheeks and onto her mouth she recognised what it was from the coppery taste; blood. It was then, when Lucy had halfway moved out from under the figure, that she heard their voice.

"Lucy…"

At that moment, the Celestial Mage recognised the tumbling white locks of hair, the deep blue eyes that were now filled with distress and the soft voice that welcomed everyone home, to Fairy Tail.

"Mirajane…" Lucy whispered, freeing herself from under the barmaid before kneeling in front of her, helping the older woman into a similar position. She noticed that Mira's usual pink dress was in shreds on her bruised body. And then, hardly able to contain her horror, Lucy noticed the large wound that maimed the left side of Mirajane's face, from temple to chin; it would surely leave a scar.

"Are you okay Lucy?" Mirajane asked, reaching out to brush a section of the blonde's hair out of her eyes. Lucy wanted to cry at the barmaid's actions. Here she sat without a scratch on her and Mirajane had blood seeping from a face wound along with blooming bruises across her body and yet, the white haired female was putting Lucy before herself; was there an end to her selflessness?

Without replying, Lucy gripped the bottom of her shirt and tugged it as hard as she could; satisfied by the sound of ripping material. After ripping the bottom of her shirt, she brought the material up to Mirajane's wound, intending to clean it; all she wanted to do was help. But just as Lucy was about the press the cloth against the Take-Over Mage, a hand restrained her, a hand that belonged to the person she was trying to help.

"Leave me be Lucy," Mirajane tried to offer her friend a smile, however it faltered and died as he stretched her wound and what was occurring around them made it impossible to smile, no matter how small it was, "There are far worse casualties out there."

And with that, Mirajane rose to her feet, although she swayed slightly, worrying Lucy, and glanced in the direction where she had been thrown from. "Those mages are from Tartaros," She explained, her eyes narrowing at the thought of her attackers, "They use magic I've never heard of before; a magic that allows the holder to paralyse whoever it wants. Similar to Evergreen's magic, without the turning into stone part of course."

"What do we do?" Was merely Lucy's whispered reply; she knew Mirajane would hear her despite the surrounding noise.

The barmaid's shoulders slumped as she shook her head, a sigh that was tainted with defeat sent ice running through Lucy's veins; Mirajane wasn't admitting defeat….was she? "I don't know Lucy," She finally said, "We must help the others in anyway we can. Retrieve the injured and bring them up to the other building," Mirajane explained, referring to the construction that had been Fairy Tail's home for the seven years that many of the members had been trapped on Tenrou, "We will take them along with the dea-." She cut off, biting her lip as she closed her eyes, a tear escaping her right eye.

"Okay," Lucy mumbled, her eyes now trained on the ground at her feet. At that moment she wondered if Gajeel was okay; had he made it to safety? What about Natsu? Was he out there looking for her amongst the rising fires and the rubble?

"I'm afraid that it would be better for us to split up," Mirajane then said, walking away from Lucy already, "its best not to attract their attention, which we would undeniably do by forming groups." As she cast a look over her shoulder at Lucy, who nodded reluctantly, inwardly hating the idea of being alone again, before her walk turned into a jog and the white haired mage had vanished in the intensifying smoke.

The blonde mage turned on her heel, stepping into a light jog as she made her way back in the estimated direction of Gildarts's body; why had she been so selfish as to leave the man alone? He was Cana's father, almost a fatherly figure to the younger members of Fairy Tail. Lucy would make sure that he would return to the guild he had loved so much.

As Lucy contemplated what spirit to use in order to move Gildarts to safety, she heard a cry. It was not like the many cries that were echoing across the battlefield, cries of anguish, pain and terror.

It was the cry of an infant.

* * *

"Look Auntie Lucy!"

The blonde was snapped out of her thoughts by the young girl in her arms, holding the lock of hair that she had just finished braiding. Lucy smiled, briefly forgetting the memories she had just been reliving. "Aw," She cooed, admiring Alba's work, "It's very cute; thank you!"

"Well, if it isn't my favourite ice cube all grown up."

Lucy looked up from Alba to see Gajeel, arms unfolded and a soft expression on his face as he spoke to Gray's daughter; Levy was at his side, waving at Alba as she smiled.

"Uncle Gajeel!" Alba practically shrieked, worming her way out of Lucy's arms and bounding into the Iron Dragon Slayer's instead. Levy couldn't help but laugh at the Celestial Mage's expression; had _she _just been ditched in favour of Gajeel of all people?

"Don't take it personally Lu-chan," Levy said, moving to stand beside the miffed mage, "They've got a special bond, because y'know…"

Lucy sighed, "Yes, I know."

Levy crossed her arms, watching Gajeel talk animatedly with the little girl, a rare yet touching sight, "She was his best friend, well the closest thing to it, back in the day. It's only natural he's attached to her daughter."

"Hmmm," Was all Lucy could say, the scene of the Iron Dragon Slayer spinning Alba around in a circle becoming almost heartbreaking.

"Guess what, guess what, guess what!" Alba exclaimed to Gajeel after being spun around like an 'aeroplane'.

"What squirt?"

"Look what I can do now!" And with that Alba pressed her clenched right fist against the palm of her left hand, her eyes closing in concentration. A familiar cool mist formed around the girl's hands before a handful of ice cubes appeared in her hand.

"Ice Make Magic…?" Lucy breathed, her brow furrowing in confusion at the little girl's actions, "But I thought…"

Gajeel eyed Alba's handiwork, nodding his head, seemingly impressed, "Nice one kid, but you've got a long way to go before you can fight alongside your Dad."

At this, Alba pouted, a tiny crease appearing between her eyebrows under he bangs as Gajeel continued, "I don't think you can defeat an enemy with ice cubes, gee hee hee!"

At this, Alba raised her left hand and simply said, "Water Slicer." Suddenly, Gajeel was whacked in the face by a slice of water that had been produced by Alba, an exclamation of shock left his mouth as he was thrown backwards with the force of the attack. He dropped Alba in his shock, but the child simply landed nimbly on her two feet, as Levy struggled to hide her laughter whilst Lucy didn't bother.

"Gee hee hee," Alba said, pointing at the heap on the floor that was her 'Uncle Gajeel'. Somewhere across the hall, Gray's voice reached them, full of pride, "That's my girl!"

At her father's praise, Alba's face lit up as she turned on her heel and walked back to Lucy, a skip in her step, as she put her arms above her head and said to her, "Up Auntie Lucy." The blonde Celestial Mage obliged, lifting the young mage into her arms once again, "I think I love this girl," She said to Levy, who had given up concealing her laughter before going over to help Gajeel.

Lucy's brown eyes met Alba's blue eyes as she said, "I didn't know you could do that Alba!"

"Yeap! I'm a mage just like Daddy and everyone else!" Lucy walked towards an empty table as the young girl spoke, sitting herself down onto the bench seat with Alba on her lap.

"So, who taught you Water Magic?" Lucy asked, her curiosity getting the better of her. However Alba did not show any signs of discomfort, instead she said, "Nobody taught me, I learned it myself," Lucy was about to interject but the young girl continued, "Daddy says it's a gift from my Momma. Momma gave me her magic because she loves me very much," Alba's face lit up as she spoke of her Mother, "Did you know my Momma was a Water Mage?"

"Yes," Lucy struggled to keep her voice level, "I knew your Momma very well."

"You did?" Alba's eyes sparkled with the promise of new information close at hand, "Daddy says she was beautiful, both outside and inside," Alba pointed to her chest, where her heart was; Lucy then noticed a chain around Alba's neck, thin and silver. Sensing Lucy's gaze, Alba reached a hand down her white blouse and pulled out the chain; at the end the silver chain was a ring made of a similar metal, a crystal teardrop gem on the front. Lucy drew in her breath, recognising the ring. She remembered many years ago when the previous owner had held out her hand, allowing Lucy to admire it.

"This is Momma's ring that Daddy gave to her before I was born," Alba explained, holding the ring in her petite hands, "Daddy says I have to look after it until we see Momma again."

"Ah, it looks lovely," Lucy said after a moment, trying to regain her composure, "The gem looks like it was made of ice."

"Is Gray teaching you Ice Make Magic, Alba?" The Spirit Mage asked after Alba had tucked the necklace back under her top.

"Daddy is now, but Auntie Ultear used to teach me instead."

"Why did Gray not teach you?" Lucy asked, although she had an idea of what her old teammate's reason was.

Alba's voice dropped, her bottom lip quivered as she looked down, "Daddy didn't want me to be an Ice Make Mage, I wasn't supposed to learn it but Auntie Ultear taught me in secret."

"Why did Gray not want you to be an Ice Make Mage, Alba?

"B-because," Alba stuttered, her tiny hands balled into fists, gripping the blue skirt she wore, "an Ice Make Mage killed my Momma."

* * *

The baby's cry rose above any other sound at that particular moment, bringing Lucy to a halt as she whipped her head to the left, where the sound was coming from. There could only be one possible candidate for that cry. _'Forgive me, Gildarts,' _Lucy thought as she started running again in the direction of the little one's cry, mentally preparing herself for the worst.

Another pillar identical to the one she had been on earlier lay before her once again, but this time Lucy did not idle on the top of the stone structure. Instead she clambered over it, adrenaline coursing through her veins, as she landed on the ground on the other side of the column, stumbling slightly on the uneven ground. She pushed herself forward, regaining her footing, as the child's cry grew louder with every step she took. As Lucy ran, she swore that out of the corner of her eye, amongst the various battle taking place around her, that she caught sight of familiar scarlet hair; _Erza. _The blonde forced herself not to seek for her friend, keeping her eyes trained forwards as she ran; Erza could take care of herself, Lucy would only be a nuisance in the way. But the Celestial Mage couldn't help but conjure images of a deceased Gildarts and a mutilated Gajeel, her heart thumping painfully as she tried to block out morbid thoughts of Titania falling to a similar fate.

There was a slope before Lucy, made of rubble from the guild. She scaled the stone and wood quickly, as though she did this in her spare time. It was when she had reached the top of the mount, trying her best not to fall as she brought herself to her feet, that Lucy's suspicions about the infantile cry were confirmed.

Around twelve metres from the bottom of the debris hill Lucy stood on, was a family, the Fullbuster family to be precise, locked in combat with a Tartaros member. Gray Fullbuster stood closest to the towering figure with white hair and skin that was almost as pale. Lucy could hear him form where she stood; shouting "Ice Make Hammer," along with other various Ice Make spells. However, something wasn't right. Gray's powerful attack should be hitting his opponent, but this appeared to not be happening as the Tartaros man dodged attack after attack with deadly grace. Lucy recognised the rising frustration on her teammates face, the sheen of sweat that ran done his bare upper body; Gray was using all his power to fight, and it wasn't making a difference.

The blonde's eyes then trained on the figure behind Gray, who was firing one armed attacks at the Tartaros man at every chance she could get; it was Juvia Lockser, or should she say Juvia Fullbuster. After every hit the Tartaros man dodged from Gray, Juvia sent a water attack as an immediate follow up to her husband's attempts of apprehending their rival. And cradled in Juvia's left arm was Alba Fullbuster, their one year old daughter.

The scene before Lucy made her want to cry, scream even at the guild that had pounced on her own. Had it only been this morning when she had seen the family of three in the guild, smiling so happily that it seemed that nothing could destroy their bliss? Was it only two weeks ago that they had celebrated Alba's first birthday? Time was a blur now; everything seemed to be happening at once.

"Ice Make Cannon!" Gray then roared, firing at the enemy with all his might. A flicker of hope sprouted in Lucy's chest as the attack finally hit the foe, sending him flying across the battlefield a few feet. As Lucy turned her attention back to the family unit before her, she saw Gray turn around to his wife and daughter.

"Go," He said to Juvia, his voice slightly breathless with the energy he had used. Juvia's eyes widened at Gray's words, her lips pouting as she brought Alba closer to her chest, "No, Gray," Juvia had dropped the '-sama' years ago.

"For Christ's sake Juvia," He said, gesturing to the bundle in her arms, "Think of Allie; we need to get her out of this mess!"

"We're a _family _Gray," Juvia replied, her eyes sparkling with the oncoming tears, "We stick together and we fight together. Besides, we're safer here with you than anywhere else."

The Ice Make Mage brought a shaking hand up to Juvia's cheek, his voice cracking, "_Please_," was all he could manage.

"I'm sorry," She replied, managing a small smile as her husband, with an air of defeat, pressed his forehead against hers.

"What am I going to do with you?" He muttered, a hint of humour mixed with affection seeping into his voice as Juvia simply smiled in reply, leaning into Gray's hand.

Lucy noticed that Alba's crying has ceased, instead the only sound she could hear from the Fullbuster child was a soft, "Momma, Daddy," repeated over and over again as her parents were locked in an intimate, private moment.

Then, everything happened so fast; yet what hadn't occurred swiftly in this battle?

Juvia tilted her head slightly, her blue eyes glancing behind her oblivious husband's head at the now standing form of the Tartaros man, who was quickly advancing upon the personal family moment. Lucy too watched as the man's fists joined together in a familiar manner; one fisted hand pressed to the palm of another. In the blink of an eye, a sword made of ice was gripped in the enemy's two large hands, poised and ready to strike through Gray's defenceless back.

"No!" Juvia's scream rang out as the foe dove forward, eyes filled with bloodlust as he sought to spill the blood of his fellow Ice Make Mage. The young mother moved faster than Lucy had ever seen her move, gripping Gray's right shoulder with her free right hand and pulling him to the right until they had switched places; he was facing her and the attacker whilst all she could see was him. The black-haired man stumbled slightly from Juvia's sudden movements, but he froze as if he were made of the ice which he created upon seeing what was just about to happen; what she had _saved_ him from.

"Juvia!" He roared as the ice sword pierced the lower half of Juvia's torso, a sickening sound of flesh overcame, impossibly, the sound of Gray's tortured voice; Lucy wondered later if it was the sound of his heart breaking. The former Phantom Lord member did not scream nor make a sound as the enemy stabbed her mercilessly. Her mouth opened slightly, a sudden gasp for breath as though the sword had sucked all the air out of her lungs. Little Alba's shrieks started again as Juvia cradled her daughter, holding her close to her chest and away from the iced weapon that protruded from her abdomen.

It was like time had frozen for a moment, painting a tragic view of a family breaking apart. Choked sobs came from Gray as he gripped Juvia's right arm, his quivering left hand moved up to cup her face, like he had done moments before. A single tear rolled down the cheek which Gray's hand lay on, his thumb hastily wiping it away as she whispered, "I'm sorry," a slither of blood trailed down the corner of her mouth as she spoke. Juvia's right hand gripped Gray's shoulder as the blade was torn from her body, leaving behind a gaping crimson wound that, even from a distance, Lucy could see was fatal. The Celestial Mage herself couldn't move toward the tragedy occurring before her eyes, her own knees giving out from under her as she fell to the ground, a sob rising in her throat as she witnessed a close friend's life torn apart. _'Get up Lucy!' _She mentally screamed, willing herself to rise to her feet, _'Go and help!'_ But the blonde remained on her knees, watching in horror at the events that were unfolding before her eyes.

The Tartaros mage raised his sword, now saturated in Juvia's blood, and brought it to his lips, a tongue darting out to lick the crimson fluid from the metal; bile rose in Lucy's throat, a shudder travelling down her spine at the sight. Meanwhile, Gray was frantically trying to cease the pouring blood from Juvia's stomach wound, finally closing it with ice on both sides in an attempt to delay the life oozing from his wife.

"C'mon Juvia," His hand moved from her ice covered stomach to her other cheek, brushing a strand of wavy hair away from her face, "Don't do this to me, not _now_."

A weary smile tugged at her crimson smeared lips as her grip on Gray's shoulder slackened by a fraction. Her azure eyes were filled with tears, of pain or sadness, Lucy couldn't tell.

It was then that Gray noticed the Tartaros mage preparing to strike again.

The black haired man spun around pushing Juvia towards the ground as gently as possible in his haste until he hovered over her body and Alba. "Ice Make Cocoon!" He yelled, a shield of ice forming around himself and his family.

But the Tartaros Mage wasn't going to let that stop him. As quick as he had produced the sword, it was gone and in its place was a lethal spiked club made of ice. Without an ounce of hesitation, the enemy brought his weapon crashing down onto Gray's ice cocoon, shattering some of the ice upon impact.

Lucy could see Gray wince as a spike of the club went through the protective ice layer, catching him in the back. The opponent continued to ruthlessly batter the shelter, each hit managing to strike Gray's back through the ice. From her position on the slope, Lucy could see that Gray's back was littered with a mixture of shallow and deep wounds within a minute or two; he couldn't go on like _this. _The cold-hearted Tartaros man would, without a second thought, kill him; and then Alba would be an orphan.

'_Juvia is not dead,' _Lucy corrected herself, her gaze falling on the Water Mage who was still conscious, the ice closing her wounds must be working, her tearful gaze locked with Gray's as he stubbornly protected his family.

It was then, when her attention was diverted, that Lucy was attacked from behind. She hadn't heard the footsteps of her attacker, nor did she feel the air around her grow more humid; her friends' pain had caused her blood to run cold.

"Ah!" She cried as the blow to her back hit home, sending the Celestial Mage tumbling down the miniature hill formed by the wreckage of the guild's building. She fell in a heap at the bottom of the debris mount, a dull ache spreading through her left leg, around her knee cap. A cruel chortle reached her ears as Lucy fumbled with shaking hands for her keys, not caring what one she chose as long as she could summon a spirit.

But her fumbling cost her dearly.

A booted foot greeted her side, the shock of the impact causing Lucy to lose her grip on her keychain as it fell back into place on the belt at her waist. Before she could even think of reaching toward it again, a substantial weight appeared on top of her body; the stranger was no straddling her as she lay helpless under his body.

Lucy's first thought was that the heat was _intense_. Sweat was already forming at her brow as the atmosphere around the pair began to rise. The man on top of her was a member of Tartaros, judging by the large crimson guild mark imprinted on his bare chest. His spiky hair matched the colour of his guild insignia, deep crimson with orange tips whilst his eyes were amber. The man smelled like smoke, like the burning remains of the guild around her.

He was a Fire Mage, she was _sure_ of it.

"Gotcha Princess," He crooned, grasping Lucy's cheeks with one warm hand. He raised another hand, and confirming Lucy's suspicions, fire surrounding the clenched fist. "Let's heat things up."

The Celestial Mage shook her head from side to side, her lip quivering as the flamed fist loomed ominously above her. Her right hand tried to reach her keys, the tips of her fingers brushing the material of her keychain before her hand was wrenched away from her side, pinned above her head by the hand of the Tartaros member that had at her face moments before.

"Nice try," He sneered, his grip on her wrist tightening with his words. Lucy bit her lip to hold back the tears that were burning at the back of her eyes; she was defenceless, _useless_. Had Natsu been right? Would she have been more worth leaving, saving herself? After all, she hadn't done anything worthwhile so far; she'd spent most of her time stumbling amongst the rubble, dropping her keys and screaming as her friends suffered for the guild, _fought_ for the guild.

And she had been futile, the typical dumb blonde that everyone assumed she was.

The man cocked his head to the side, taking pleasure from Lucy's defeated expression, a cruel smirk forming on his face as he raised his fist higher, preparing to strike, "Lights out Blondie."

Before Lucy could scream, before she could register the familiar, infuriated roar that reached her ears, before she could register what was happening; everything went black.

* * *

**And that was Chapter Four! So, what did you think? Let me know! I love hearing what people think about my writing, criticism included. ^^**

**This chapter was hard for me to write, especially the bit with Juvia because she's my favourite female character in Fairy Tail. But I hope I wrote it well enough! :)**

**I'm going on holiday tomorrow so I won't have a chance to write until Friday when I get back but I'll start the next chapter either then or Saturday!**

**Thank you for reading! :) **

**~petiteshima**


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